Dawn of victory
by Dorian Windslasher
Summary: A darker AU-spin set two years after the battle at the Hellmouth.
1. Part one

A/n: The story's pretty much the result of a fellow writing wanting me to do a certain pairing and me trying to figure out just how in the name of hell that was to be doable. Here's the first chapter of my go at it.

* * *

Sunnydale - 2005 - Early spring - 9:00

The three choppers touched down on the Sunnydale airstrip with an almighty roar in the bleak light of the morning sun. With a thud of combat boots, three dozen girls wearing full tactical gear jumped out and formed a protective circle around the vehicles.

With the drop made, the helicopters disappeared again, leaving an eerie silence in their wake.

"Line up!" The soldiers immediately did so, finding their places in a straight line within five seconds, weapons at the ready.

"We're going to sweep the cemeteries in groups of three. If it lives when it shouldn't, you dust it. Units Five and Six, I want you watching the supplies. Vi, go to Group Seven and help them out, I'm going with Group Two. Move out."

"Yes ma'am!" The soldiers of the First Slayer Brigade responded in unison, spreading out in all directions.

Satsu blushed as the captain got closer, and held her weapon clutched tight. She did not address them, though, but simply walked past, her slayer's following just as she expected they would.

"How does it feel being back, ma'am?" the third girl of the squad asked, clearly curious. The little city was legendary for the battle that had occurred when Buffy Summers had led the failed attacked on the Hellmouth.

"It's quiet," the captain replied emotionlessly. "I suppose we'll have plenty of screaming soon enough, though."

They made it to one of the city's eleven larger cemeteries, and Satsu took the lead, kicking in the door off one of the crypts. It was empty. They moved on to the next with the same routine, one slayer kicking the door in while the others stood behind, ready to blast whatever might pop it's head out into the next dimension.

All slayers carried a Heckler and Koch MP5 sub-machinegun loaded with incendiary rounds. Upon being fired, the rounds would ignite. These rifles were especially useful against Turok-Han. Though it would not be lethal unless the vampires were peppered full of the bullets, they would be on the ground writhing in agony after only a few of them stuck smoldering in their flesh. Then the slayer simply had to use the ironwood bayonet stuck at the front of the weapon to stake their foe.

As the bullets burned, they also lost density, which meant they were practically useless for shooting at long range. But they were only expecting close-range combat either way, so that was fine.

For demons of the more regular variety, they had Mossberg 590 combat shotguns. There were also grenades - white phosphorus and ordinary - as well as a clip of silver bullets for their side arms in case of slightly hairier problems.

All slayers also carried melee weapons, if the ridiculous amount of ammo they did bring actually ran out, and Satsu knew the captain also had a gas-powered stake-gun strapped to her right leg.

The second crypt they tried was empty, too, but the third was not. It was clear that they were ordinary vampires, since they both jumped for cover the moment the second the bullets started flying. Turok-Han were stupid and would charge the slayer until they went into the sunlight, then try to hide, though they were generally incapacitated by that point. They filed into the dank stone building, weapons raised, flanking the vampires who were hiding behind a large tomb.

"Come out and play," the captain said in a sing-song voice. Though she was excellent at her job, a pure genius and just the person to have around when the shit hit the fan, the girls occasionally wondered if she was all there in the head.

By the time the vampires were visible, they were cowering at the sight of the soldiers.

"Do we keep one for questioning, Captain Summers?"

"No, dust 'em."

The slayers put a round each in the hearts of the undead, following it through with their bayonets.

There was a loud bang in the distance. Satsu saw her superior officer snatch up a walkie-talkie.

"That had better be something big you just wasted explosives on," she said evenly.

"Bezoar, ma'am."

"Fair enough, over and out."

They moved outside into the pleasant sunlight, steering their steps towards the next crypt, when a voice came through one of the walkie-talkies.

"Captain Summers, this is headquarters, report in."

"We're spread out for now, sweeping the area. In roughly two hours, we will move to Location One and fortify it for the night."

"Good, report back hourly. Over and out."

* * *

Satsu had been given details from Vi, who was one of the few slayers who had survived the battle in the Hellmouth. Captain Summers never spoke of it and did not appreciate when it was brought up. That usually meant being sent running until you puked which, needless to say, sucked.

The two dozen recently activated slayers had marched down into the Hellmouth along with an ensouled vampire, but failed to beat back the horde of Turok-Han. Vi had been knocked out during the battle and been dragged off by another slayer named Amanda, who had died during their escape towards the Mexican border.

Things in the world changed a bit after that battle was lost. Where Africa had traditionally been referred to as the dark continent, that title now belonged to North America.

The US government had managed some evacuation, and most importantly, to warn the rest of the world. Along the borders of Nicaragua, and the parts of eastern Russia near Alaska where the ice sometimes froze during the winter, there were now stationed some of the largest quantities of troops assembled since the cold war. Walls that made the one in Berlin or even in Israel look like clay models were built on both locations and even so, it had barely been enough for the initial surge of demons under the command of the First. What they were up to now, nobody knew.

As for America and Canada, a total loss was expected. The Turok-Han and others demonic tribes who had joined in on the all-you-can-eat-buffet had slaughtered everything and everyone.

There were some communications from resistance cells every now and then, but they tended to disappear. As for Sunnydale, nothing alive had been set foot there in a good long time.

Since the escape from Sunnydale and America, Captain Summers had assembled the slayers, nearly a thousand of them at this point, to be ready if the situation worsened.

Their current squad was an advance team, their very best, sent to make safe the airport and general area in the city and to see what the demon infestation was like on the Hellmouth. If it was stable enough, the slayers would be heading there in force the next day along with a team of engineers and other personnel to work on fortifying the place, which would serve as an outpost mainly as a large "Fuck you" written in bold to the forces of darkness. It was by no means an ideal spot for such a campaign, but the slayers had insisted and gotten their way.

How Captain Summers had such a large amount of power even when dealing with politicians who most likely didn't enjoy being told what to do by a young girl, Satsu did not know.

It was a fact, though, that she was in charge of both planning and executing the operation.

* * *

Outskirts of Sunnydale - 11:18 

Vi kicked in the door of the barn, carefully checking so that nobody was hiding on either side before storming in, closely followed by the girls in her squad as well as the ones in Squad Ten and Eleven.

The building was large and had, she realized, been used for cattle.

There was movement ahead, which left all the slayers aiming their weapons into the semi-darkness. Vi waved at the other two squads to fan out along the flank. There was a sudden dark shadow at her left and the slayer turned in it's direction, seeing a man with platinum-blonde hair, holding a wooden plank aloft, but standing frozen.

Then, there was a bang as one of her girls sent a shell of buckshot his way, missing by an inch.

"Cease fire!" Vi shouted as she recognized him.

The other squads moved closer, wanting to see what was going on.

"Well, if it isn't Carrot-top, " said the vampire, grinning with swagger despite the eight rifles pointed at his chest. "Been a long time. Glad to see you made it."

"Likewise, Spike," Vi replied. It was silly. She was a slayer now, second in command, and the vampire still made her feel like that stupid little potential who had gotten her arm twisted behind her back two years ago.

"How the hell have you survived?"

"Demons apparently don't like slaughtering cows - think it's bad luck or something, so I've been doing some work as a beef farmer. Cleared out the blood bank, too… And you can drink from other vampires if you're desperate enough."

"Ma'am, why aren't we dusting him?" One of the girls finally raised the point all the others were wondering about.

"He's got a soul - he's not dangerous."

"Hey!" Spike exclaimed, apparently unable to let go off his ego even with high velocity weapons pointed at him. "I'm damn well dangerous. You can come out now!"

At his last statement there was movement in one of the stalls for the animals, and a woman came walking. She had red shoulder length hair, wore a pair of torn blue jeans, a rather low-cut white silk top and a black leather jacket.

"Slayers," the female vampire said with a pout. "Don't like slayers, 'cept Buffy. Is she here? I miss Buffy…" Her tone of voice was a strange melancholy.

Some slayers directed their weapons towards the new arrival, but the Spike stood in front of her protectively.

"Oh, my God… Willow."

Vi took a step forward towards the redhead, who backed away suspiciously.

Confused, the slayer turned to Spike. "Is she... safe?"

"Safe enough. Has a soul... or parts of one, anyways."

"Okay, I need to report this. You can lower your weapons." The soldiers complied as Vi picked up her walkie-talkie.

"Captain Summers, I've found two people I believe you would like to see. Yes, ma'am, I'll bring them right along."

It took several minutes of Spike's persuading for Willow to walk outside, covered in two large blankets directed by a slayer, while the others walked in a wide circle around them.

* * *

Sunnydale - Downtown - Location One

Location One was the best place to make a stand that the slayers had been able to locate in all of Sunnydale, a large five story parking garage. Because it was so large and almost entirely covered from the sun, they assumed they'd find many Turok-Han there. They were not disappointed on that count, and the Captain led half the slayers as they efficiently swept the area, dusting almost forty Turok-Han hiding there. Most of them were on the one floor underground, which had sewer access.

An hour's work with barbed wire and fast-acting concrete later, the slayers had cut that off. Satsu had just arrived carrying a large box of ammo for a Gatling gun they were supposed to place at the main entrance when Vi arrived with her squad and two strangers covered in large wooly blankets.

Once inside the shaded area, they shed the protective cloth.

For a few seconds, the vampires stood staring at the Captain, while she stared right back at them.

"Spike…? Willow?"

"Nibblet? What in the name of-?"

"Hey, Dawnie," the redhead said merrily. "What's with the GI Jane outfit?"


	2. Part two

Sunnydale - Location one - ground level

For the first time during her two years under her command, Satsu was treated to seeing Dawn Summer completely awestruck. It actually looked kind of cute.

"Willow, what-?" Dawn stretched out her hand and took a step forwards, then froze and let it drop. Her face, which had softened momentarily went hard and emotionless again.

"You're dead," she stated finally, staring the red-head down.

"Perceptive," the vampire returned.

"Sergeant!" Satsu stood up straighter at being addressed, she was the only one of that rank present.

"Make our guests comfortable, I'm going to contact headquarters."

How Satsu was to do just that was left unsaid.

"Right, follow me."

To be honest, she did not know how to make the vampires comfortable. There wasn't even any blood to offer them unless she was to slit her own wrist.

"Bugger this," Spike said as they were being led underground. "You ladies have fun and I'll go for a nice chat with your 'Captain' instead."

He turned around and headed towards the upper levels where other girl had disappeared to.

Satsu had read a lot about William the bloody as well as Angelus and other famous vampires and she was not surprised. She figured she wouldn't be able to stop him without shooting him and felt that would be the far likelier way of provoking the wrath of Dawn Summers.

Willow had turned to her watch her sire go, which made Satsu slow down her pace, but not turn.

"You coming?" She asked.

"If you keep swinging your hips like that when you walk, I just might," the vampire replied. The slayer did turn around at that, cheeks heating up. It didn't get any better, having the pretty girl looking at her body with a decidedly hungry look in her eyes.

Though it should have worried Satsu, she rather felt like it wasn't the blood-related kind of hungry.

Sunnydale - Location one - top floor

Spike walked as far as he could up the elevation leading to the fifth floor, before the sun finally stopped his progress. Straining his ears, he could hear a soft sobbing somewhat above him to the right.

"Nibblet?" He asked loud enough for his voice to carry. The crying stopped and a second later, Dawn landed next to him in the shadow, having jumped down from above.

"I'm glad to see the both of you alive," she said stiffly.

"S'good to see you too. Captain Summers, though, how the bloody hell did you pull that off?" He sounded surprised and just a little bit amused.

"That's actual rank, not some title the girls gave me."

"Once again, how?" Dawn gave him a bitter smile.

"Be ruthless enough, or appear to be ruthless enough and you can accomplish a lot. The girls think I'm a borderline sociopath. Being fluent in nine languages didn't hurt either, I suppose."

Spike gave her a thorough look.

"So, who are you really, then?" She sighed at his question, eyes growing watery again.

"Not who I was… Or who I pretend to be for that matter. For now, I'll be who they need me to be."

"Them, not me," Spike told her firmly. Dawn scooted closer, putting her head on the vampire's shoulder.

"I've missed you…" She whispered, angling her head so that her lips touched the cold skin.

"Missed you too." He looked down at her face with his eyebrows raised in surprise, bringing their faces even closer.

His whispered "don't" was smothered effectively when Dawn almost brutally pressed her lips to his. Spike remembered that kind of kiss very well from another Summers woman, but it wasn't really the reason he objected.

Taking care to be gentle, he pushed her away.

"Many things I would do for you, kid, die among them. But I won't use you, or be used for that matter."

Dawn's sad pout disappeared quickly as she seemed to retreat behind the mask she had worn so long.

"Talk to me," Spike urged. "Be Dawn., be whoever you want or need to be."

And so, cuddled up against the once second most ferocious vampire in recorded history, Dawn began her story.

Sunnydale - Location one - Underground level

"You knew her, right?" Satsu's question broke the silence which had lasted over a minute.

"Since she was nine, yeah." They were side by side, settled against the cold concrete wall. "Didn't she tell you?"

"She doesn't tell us much, especially not about her past. What was she like?"

Willow thought about it for a moment.

"As normal as the kid sister of the slayer can be expected to. She was a smart girl, sweet. I didn't have any sibling so I adored her."

The Japanese slayer gave the vampire a surprised look.

"Sounds nothing like our Captain. Pretty much expected her to be born with a rifle in her hands and a stick lodged firmly up her ass."

Willow giggled. "She's changed," she concluded. "Now, speaking of cuties… What's your story?" Satsu's cheeks went slightly pink at the compliment.

"Dawn recruited me in Japan almost two years ago, been with her ever since."

"And how long've you known you're gay?" Now, that question caught her off guard.

"Who told you I'm gay?"

"You did. You've been stealing glances at the goodies every now and then ever since we met."

Shit, busted.

"Yeah, that's- Um- Sorry."

"That's alright. Now tell me." The vampire trailed a cold finger along Satsu's neck, trailing her bottom lip. A shudder that had nothing to do the cold went through the slayer's body.

"I was fourteen, I think. Maybe I knew before, but that's when I admitted it to myself. What about you?" The vampire smiled a sad smile.

"I was a bit confused, growing up. But then I met Tara and I just knew."

Satsu felt the topic would be sensitive and didn't push it further, instead moving on to another thing she was curious about.

"What's it like hanging with William the bloody?"

"He's not as bad as you think he is. Not even as bad as he thinks he is. Surprisingly sweet, to be honest."

The silence once more got awkward as it dragged on and Satsu, though she tried not to, could not help but to look a few inches too far south of Willow's face.

The vampire caught the straying glance immediately and grinned.

"Naughty kitten," she murmured, running a finger along Satsu's shoulder, up her face and into her hair, which she started playing with.

Though her every instinct told her just how wrong it was, the slayer put her hands on the vampire's cheeks and kissed her. Shocked, she pulled back a few very long seconds later.

"Oh shit… I can't believe I did that."

Willow pouted. "Antsy now…" she whined.

"Yeah, well - You're a vampire- which I know you know- but…"

She could just picture the conversation.

"Hey, mum and dad… Here's my new love interest. Oh yeah, it's not only a girl, but she's also undead. How bout some cake, eh?"

"So what if I am?" Willow challenged, a smirk on her lips as she straddled the unresisting vampire slayer.

Satsu was about to say something, but lost her thread as the red-head made a rocking movement with her hips.

"Screw it," the slayer finally murmured, leaning in to kiss the other girl.

"I'm not an it, but go right ahead." Willow had a wry smile on her lips as her hands descended down Satsu's butt.

"Mm- I think I will." She brought her hand inside the silk-shirt, cupping the cold, soft flesh in her hand.

The vampire brought their lips back into contact, a surprisingly soft and tender one, slowly sliding her hand down Satsu's toned stomach.

The three slayers who heard her cries fifteen minutes later and came thinking to save her were in for one hell of a surprise.


End file.
